Where are they now? 10 youngest-ever F1 race leaders in history

Kimi Antonelli just made history in the Japanese Grand Prix by becoming the youngest Grand Prix driver to lead a Formula 1 race — and he’s in good company.

We’re looking at the 10 youngest drivers to lead a lap in a Grand Prix (excluding the Indianapolis 500, when that was included on the F1 calendar).

10. Lance Stroll: 2020 Turkish GP

The first driver on our list is none other than Lance Stroll, current Aston Martin driver. Back in 2020, at 22 years, seven months, and 17 days old, the Canadian driver not only managed to qualify on pole position in his Racing Point machine, but he also led most of the race.

Unfortunately for Stroll, he struggled to maintain pace after a pit stop, and he dropped back through the field to finish ninth.

9. Lando Norris: 2021 Italian GP

By winning the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, Daniel Ricciardo won a bet that saw McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown get a tattoo to commemorate the win. But it was Ricciardo’s teammate Lando Norris who became one of the youngest drivers to lead a lap at 21 years, nine months, and 30 days of age. Ultimately, he finished second.

It was a breakout year for Norris, who would go on to take his first pole position and nearly his first race win, were it not for a change in weather.

8. Esteban Gutierrez: 2013 Spanish GP

Mexican racer Esteban Gutierrez inherited the lead of the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix during a pit cycle, but given his age — 21 years, nine months, and seven days — he became one of the youngest leaders in F1 history.

He also brought home the fastest lap of the race, which the Sauber driver scored on the 56th lap of what was decidedly not a compelling event. He came home 11th, one lap down from winner Fernando Alonso.

7. Robert Kubica: 2006 Italian GP

In just his third Grand Prix ever, BMW Sauber driver Robert Kubica set two milestones. First, he secured his first career podium by finishing third to Italian GP winner Michael Schumacher and second-placed Kimi Raikkonen.

Kubica started the race from sixth and had worked his way up to the front of the field, where he inherited the lead of the Italian Grand Prix when the leaders pitted. At 21 years, nine months, and three days old, Kubica became one of the youngest drivers to lead a lap in F1 history.

6. Fernando Alonso: 2003 Malaysian GP

Pole-sitter Fernando Alonso drove his Renault into the lead of the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix, and he held onto that position until he dipped into the pits on Lap 14. At the time, he was 21 years, seven months, and 23 days old.

The race itself was less stellar for the Spaniard, who came home in third place behind Kimi Raikkonen and Rubens Barrichello.

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5. Sebastien Buemi: 2010 Canadian GP

Another driver to inherit the lead of a race as the rest of the field cycled through pit stops was Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi. Being 21 years, seven months, and 13 days old, he became the second-youngest driver to lead a lap at the time, and the first Toro Rosso driver to lead laps since Sebastien Bourdais did so at the 2008 Japanese GP.

Buemi ultimately finished the race in eighth, the first car a lap down.

4. Charles Leclerc: 2019 Bahrain GP

Charles Leclerc was just two races into his inaugural season with Scuderia Ferrari when he qualified on pole position in Bahrain. On race day, he was passed at the start but managed to come around to return to the lead. He was 21 years, five months, and 15 days old.

Sadly for him, Leclerc faced an engine cylinder failure on Lap 46 and dropped down the running order to finish third.

3. Sebastian Vettel: 2007 Japanese GP

The original boy wonder, Sebastian Vettel was stunning the Formula 1 paddock all the way back in 2007. In Japan, he qualified eighth — the best-ever qualifying for a Toro Rosso at the time — and on race day, he slipped into the lead in the early part of the race.

At 20 years, two months, and 27 days old, he became the youngest driver to lead a lap of a Grand Prix — a record he’d hold for nine years.

Unfortunately, Vettel rear-ended Mark Webber under wet conditions and was forced to retire.

2. Max Verstappen: 2016 Spanish GP

The 2016 Spanish Grand Prix was a stunner for Max Verstappen. It was the Dutch driver’s first race with Red Bull after earning a mid-season promotion from Toro Rosso, and he went on to win the race. Thanks to his age — 18 years, seven months, 15 days — he became the youngest driver to lead a lap in F1 history.

He also secured several other key records that weekend:

• He became the youngest race winner in F1 history.
• He became the youngest driver to finish on the podium.
• He became the first Dutch driver to win a Grand Prix.
• He was the first Grand Prix winner born in the 1990s.

1. Kimi Antonelli: 2025 Japanese GP

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli pipped Verstappen’s record by just three days in Japan!

As the pit cycle got underway at the 2025 Japanese GP, Antonelli was in position to assume the lead when Verstappen and Norris both pitted from the front of the field. The Italian racer — at just 18 years, seven months, and 12 days of age — held that lead by extending the life of his medium tires.

After Antonelli pitted and returned to the track, he was no longer in contention for a win and finished sixth.

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